Drinking cups or glasses are often carried on a tray to serve drinks to guests at a party or other large gathering. However, a ready and convenient supply of fresh drinking cups and some means of dealing with empty drinking cups can be a problem.
In accordance with the present invention, a holder is provided comprising a tray having means for supporting the drinking cups in an upright position, such that they may be filled with liquid, and including means for supporting empty drinking cups on the tray.
The tray is especially adapted for use with nestable drinking cups, and preferably includes a retainer for supporting a stack of empty, nested drinking cups.
Preferably, the retainer is tapered and substantially identical in form to the drinking cups and is secured to the tray in inverted position to receive the lowermost cup of an inverted stack of nested cups.
For convenience, the tray is supported in a pan with means for supporting the tray above the bottom wall of the pan so that spilled liquid will be contained in the pan.
One object of the invention is to provide a holder for drinking cups having the foregoing features and capabilities.
Another object is to provide a holder for drinking cups which is composed of a relatively few simple parts, is rugged and durable in use, and can be inexpensively manufactured and assembled.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when considered with the accompanying drawings.